Hawai‘i Electric Light Company
July 2014
Volume XXXIII • Number 7
Enjoy the cooling effect
of trees and shrubs
D
id you know that the shade
from trees and shrubs can reduce an unshaded home’s
summer air-conditioning costs by 15–50 percent? In addition to beau-
tifying your property, a well-landscaped yard can contribute significantly to keeping your home cool.
To provide cooling shade year-round,
select trees that don’t lose their
leaves seasonally. A tree’s shade and
the evaporation of moisture from its
leaves can reduce surrounding air
temperatures by as much as 9° F.
Consider the shape and full height of
the mature tree to determine the best
location to plant it. Estimate the track
of the moving shadow the tree will
cast throughout the day, noting the
sun’s angle in the summertime and
wintertime, to use shade effectively.
Here are some other ideas for properly siting trees and shrubs to maximize
their cooling effect:
Plant trees along the windward
side of your home to help cool the
trade winds entering your home,
without entirely blocking the wind.
Plant tall trees with spreading
crowns to the south of your home to
provide maximum shade over your
home’s roof, taking care to not shade
solar panels.
Plant medium-sized trees on the
west side of your home to shade it
from the lower afternoon sun angles.
Plant trees, shrubs, and groundcover to shade the ground and
pavement near your home to reduce
heat radiation from those surfaces;
consider shading your driveway, a
sidewalk, or your lanai.
Solar Boat Regatta goes global
More than 600 fifth-graders, teachers,
and parents from across the island
gathered on May 3 and 10 to see
the students’ solar boats race at our
seventh annual Solar Boat Regatta.
The regatta caps off an educational
program designed to teach students
about electricity and renewable
energy resources. Working in teams,
students constructed their model
solar boats using various recycled
materials, a small electric motor,
and small solar panel. We provide
educational materials to participating
teachers and sponsor the Solar Boat
Select trees
with non-aggressive roots when
planting trees close to your home, driveway, or retaining wall. Use hedges or
shrubs to shade
your home’s walls.
However, avoid
having dense
foliage growing
immediately next
to your home, especially if wetness
or continual humidity is a problem.
Allow winds to flow through and
around your home.
If you have an air conditioner, shade
it to increase its efficiency by as much
as 10 percent. Be careful to not block
the air flow around the condenser.
For more landscaping tips, down-
load our brochure Planting the Right
Tree in the Right Place, at www.
hawaiielectriclight.com. It’s in our “Energy Savings Toolkit” in the residential section of the website.
Regatta in partnership with the Hawai‘i
Department of Education to encourage renewable energy development
and education for Hawai‘i’s students.
The students’ inspiration this year came
from the wa‘a (seagoing outrigger
canoes) of the Polynesian Voyaging
Society’s (PVS) worldwide voyage of
the Hōkūle‘a and Hikianalia. Although
Hōkūle‘a is navigated traditionally,
both wa‘a have solar panels on board.
The PVS offered a rare prize to the
winning teams of the “Most Seaworthy Wa‘a” category. The two winning
teams won the chance to have their
solar boats travel on the Mālama Honua voyage, whose goal is to encourage a more sustainable world.
The wa‘a will cover 47,000 nautical miles,
85 ports, and 26 countries, and the educators will place the two boats in the
ports and send pictures of their journey.
Participating in the Solar Boat Regatta were Kamehameha School; Parker
School; Volcano Arts & Sciences; and
Holualoa, Honaunau, Kahakai, Kea‘au,
Keonepoko, St. Joseph, Shady Grove, and Waiakeawaena elementary schools.
Mahalo to all the participants and to
the Polynesian Voyaging Society, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, and Botanical World Adventures.
Ho‘oku‘i
PO Box 2750 • Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96840
Telephone: (808) 543-5670
www.hawaiianelectric.com
Be cautious if you use a portable generator
Tropical storms can bring lightning
and strong winds that can cause
power outages. As a backup source
of power, a small generator can come
in handy, if used carefully.
Before using a portable generator, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Take precautions
to avoid poisoning from the generator’s toxic exhaust and to prevent
electric shock, electrocution, and fire.
Generator exhaust contains carbon
monoxide, a poison you cannot
see or smell. That’s why you should
never use a generator inside a home,
basement, or garage. Only use the
generator outside, away from your
home’s windows, doors, and vents.
Never plug the generator’s power
into a household outlet because the
* Generators may only be safely
connected to the house wiring
using an approved power transfer
switch. The transfer switch must be
Protect the generator from moisture and set it on a dry surface where
water cannot reach it or puddle under it. Make sure your hands are dry
before touching the generator.
Always start or stop a generator
when no electric appliances, tools, or
lights are connected to it.
Connect appliances to the generator using a heavy-duty extension
cord that is designed for outdoor
use. Check the cord to be sure it’s free
from cuts or tears and protect it from
getting pinched if it passes
through a window or doorway.
Check the combined wattage
of all the appliances you plan
to power with the generator. Make sure the combined
wattage of the appliances does
not exceed the generator’s capacity
or the capacity of the extension cord
they are plugged into.
Before refueling the generator,
turn it off and let it cool down. Never
overfill the fuel tank and clean off any spilled gasoline.
Store reserve fuel outside your
home’s living areas and away from
any fuel-burning appliance.
installed by a qualified electrician
in accordance with the National
Electrical Code and applicable
state and local electrical codes. For
information and to submit electrical
plans for our review, call our engineering staff at 969-0311 (Hilo) or
327-0510 (Kona).
electricity can backflow into utility
lines, creating a safety hazard for utility staff working on them.*
Safety first when picking fruit
Be careful when picking fruit from
trees that are near
overhead power
lines. The lines are
energized and can
be dangerous. To
be safe, remember
these important tips:
Avoid coming into contact with overhead power lines, directly or indirectly.
Don’t climb trees with branches
growing into power lines. A tree can
conduct electricity to the ground, putting anyone who contacts the tree
at risk of being shocked.
Don’t pick fruit from trees that are
R E C I P E
O F
T H E
touching power lines.
Keep yourself and your ladder,
fruit picker, pole, and other tools at
least 10 feet away from power lines.
If you see anything caught in a
power line, don’t try to free it. Call
our Trouble Line at 969-6666. In
an emergency situation, call 911.
M O N T H
Fresh Chicken and Vegetables Tostadas
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces chicken breast
tenders, cut into 1/4” strips
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup fresh Kahuku corn
kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup salsa verde
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Preheat broiler. Heat oil
in a large nonstick skillet
over medium-high heat.
In a small bowl, combine
cumin, salt, and pepper,
stirring well. Sprinkle
spice mixture over chicken. Add chicken to pan;
sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn,
and zucchini; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook
2 minutes or until liquid almost
evaporates, stirring frequently. Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange
tortillas on a baking sheet; lightly
coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil
3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture
HELCO 5487
and 1/4 cup cheese on each tortilla
and spread evenly. Broil an additional
2 minutes or until cheese melts.
Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Garnish with remaining cilantro.
Recipe serves 4.